1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to electro-optic devices and electronic apparatuses.
2. Related Art
As an example of an electro-optic device, a display device that can display different images in accordance with various viewing angles is known (such display will be referred to as “directional display” hereinafter). JP-A-2007-108501 (pages 4 to 5 and FIG. 18) discloses an example of a display device of this type that can display different images at various visual points by means of a barrier having openings and light blocking portions.
Regarding a display device having a display panel for forming an image and the aforementioned barrier, the mechanism of how directional display is performed in two directions in the device will be described below with reference to cross-sectional views. Referring to FIG. 25A, a display panel 600 includes a first pixel 601 for displaying a first image and a second pixel 603 for displaying a second image. A barrier 605 has light blocking portions 607 that overlap with one section 601a of the first pixel 601 and with a first section 603a of the second pixel 603. In other words, an opening 609 located between the light blocking portions 607 is provided in a region that overlaps with another section 601b of the first pixel 601 and with another section 603b of the second pixel 603.
A first image is displayed in a first range 611 from which the first pixel 601 is visible through the opening 609. A second image is displayed in a second range 613 from which the second pixel 603 is visible through the opening 609. In other words, when the visual point is within the first range 611, the first image is visible from that visual point. When the visual point is within the second range 613, the second image is visible from that visual point.
The first range 611 and the second range 613 overlap each other, and this overlapping range is referred to as a range 615. From a visual point within the range 615, the first image and the second image would appear in a superposed state. From a visual point within a range 619a which is obtained by excluding the range 615 from the first range 611, only the first image is visible. From a visual point within a range 619b which is obtained by excluding the range 615 from the second range 613, only the second image is visible. The range 619a and the range 619b are respectively referred to as an effective visible range 619a and an effective visible range 619b. 
The display panel 600 is generally provided with switching elements in correspondence with the pixels 601 and 603. Switching elements are configured to switch between light emission and light blocking modes with respect to the pixels 601 and 603. As shown in FIG. 26 in plan view, the pixels 601 and 603 are provided with light blocking regions 621 where light can be blocked due to, for example, the switching elements.
FIG. 25B is a cross-sectional view taken along line XXVB-XXVB in FIG. 26. As shown in FIG. 25B, the light beams emitted from the pixels 601 and 603 and respectively covering the effective visible ranges 619a and 619b through the opening 609 differ in quantity between the effective visible range 619a and the effective visible range 619b due to the light blocking regions 621.
In other words, the display device of the related art is problematic in that the image brightness tends to vary between multiple images in directional display.